Clamp for garment-supporters



(No Model.)

0. M. ALLEN.

CLAMP FOR GARMENT SUPPORTERS.

No. 595,032. Patented 1360.7,1897.

q vmwm, gmwwto a ;-/)W a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES M. ALLEN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

CLAMP FOR GARMENT-SUPPORTERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,082, dated December 7, 1897.

Application filed April 23, 1897.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES M. ALLEN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Clamps for Garment-Supporters; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to a novel clamp for garment-supporters.

It consists in details of construction which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents one form of my clamp. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof. Figs. 3 and i show different constructions of the clasps.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, conveniently-operated, and efficient clasp for securing garments to their supporters and to so fasten them as to reduce the danger of pulling or tearing the garment to a minimum.

In carrying out my invention it may be applied in several ways which are practically equivalents of each other.

In the present case I have shown a plate A, to which the elastic or strap of the garmentsupporter is attached. This plate has a projecting boss or raised portion B and a correspondingly-shaped clasp O of a little larger diameter than this projection, which is so hinged with relation to the plate A that it may be folded down over the projection B. The clasp is also susceptible of a change in diameter, so that when the button or projection is placed upon one side of the garment the clasp folded down over the edge from the other side will force a portion of the material between the clasp and the projection, the latter extending through the clasp, as shown. The clasp is then closed or compressed around the material and the interior button or projection, thus holding the two firmly together. This is the general construction.

In the present case I have shown the plate A having a turned-over portion A, formed with teeth a, which teeth are so arranged that the elastic or strap D can be inserted through a slot a (which is made in the bight of the turned over portion) and pushed up far Serial No. 633,492. (No model.)

enough so as to be engaged by the teeth. It is then folded over behind the inner side of the plate A, and the end is passed through a slot 17, which is formed at the upper end of the plate. By this arrangement the end of the elastic passes between the body of the plate and the turned-over portion A thereof, which latter portion forms substantially a resilient member for clamping the elastic and holding the teeth a in the same, therebysecuring the elastic against slippage.

The clasp O is here shown as made of wire bent so as to form a transverse slot 0 at the upper end, or it may be a plate suitably shaped. The elastic or strap D is then passed through this slot or channel. Thence it is returned through the slot 1) outside of the por tion first introduced, and the bight formed by this folding over the wire at 0 serves as a hinge about which the clasp 0 turns. The end of the elastic, after having been passed through the slot 1) for the last time, then extends upward to the point where it is attached to the clothing above.

In order to attach the device to a stocking or other clothing which is to be supported, the boss or projection 13 is placed upon one side. The clamp O is then folded down from the other side, thus pressing the projection into the fabric H, which forms a cover over and around the projection. As soon as the clasp C is forced down so that it surrounds the projection it is closed, so as to clamp the fabric closely upon the projection. I prefer to make this projection B with a shallow neck below the outer head, so that when the clasp is in place it will compress the fabric more closely around the head and prevent its slipping off.

In order to secure the clasp in place, Imay either employ a sliding clasp, a cam-lever, or other form for closing it together.

In Fig. 1 I have shown the clasp open at the end opposite the slot 0 and having the ends made divergent. Upon these ends I have shown a sliding button G, which when slipped up close to the part 0 will allow the outer ends to spread open and the part C to open sufficiently to easily pass over one or two thicknesses of the fabric and the head B, to which the fabric is locked. By then sliding the button G outwardly it draws the diverging ends together, and thus closes the clamp 0 upon the projection B.

In Fig. 2 I have shown the shank c between the part C and the slot 0. made sufficiently long to receive the sliding button, so that when the latter is slipped up close to the slot 0 it allows the clamp O to open sufiiciently to fit over the head B and the fabric and close between the two. By then slipping the button down close to the part 0 the clamp will be closed, as before. may be produced by the use of an eccentric or cam adapted to open and close the sides of the clamp by being turned; but I consider it an equivalent, and the device I have shown is simple and efficient.

By this construction it is easy to connect stockings or other garments with the clamp, and the amount of fabric taken in is such that it is not liable to be easily pulled out or torn.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let'- ters Patent, is

1. In a garment-supporter, a plate having a boss and having a portion turned over substantially parallel with the body portion and serving substantially as a resilient member, said plate having a slot near its upper portion and a second slot substantially in the b-ight of the turned-over portion, in combination with an elastic passed through the up- The same effect per slot and having its end passed through thelower slot and confined between the turnedover portion and the body of the plate, a

. clamp adapted to surround said boss and encompass the garment about the same and a means for closing and compressing the clamp.

2. In a garment-supporter, a plate having a projection or boss centrally upon one side, a fold or bend at one end serving substantially as a resilient member adapted to receive the end of the supporting elastic or strip, between itself and the body of the plate, teeth formed in the bent-over portion which engage the end of said strip when inserted, a

transverse slot formed at the opposite end of the plate through which the strip is passed, a clasp adapted to surround the projecting head, said clasp having a transverse loop at the upper end through which the suspendingstrip is passed after passing through the slot at the upper end of the plate and again returned through said slot whereby it serves as a hinge about which the clasp is turnable, diverging extensions from the clasp and a button slidable. upon said extensions whereby the clasp is closed to bind or clamp the fabric about the projecting head.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES M. ALLEN. WVitnesses:

S. H. NOURSE, JESSIE C. BRODIE. 

